//------------------------------//
// Forgiveness 
// Story: Them Crazy Northerners 
// by Weavers of Dreams 
//------------------------------//

Lunch seemed to have ended quite abruptly, Derpy and her daughters sat at the table in silence while Twilight and her friends were huddled near the doorway, whispering amongst each other about this new revelation about Derpy. All the while they were unaware that the Doo family could hear the entire thing. Derpy was on the verge  of bursting into tears while Amethyst held her close, and Dinky was simply confused at what was happening or what they were talking about.
"This going to be so exciting," Pinkie Pie whispered cheerfully. The others all rolled their eyes in annoyance, except for Fluttershy.
"Did you hear what she said?" Rainbow Dash asked with a quick glance at Derpy.
Rarity nodded. "Indeed, it appears there's a lot of them. Do they just breed like rabbits?"
"I would ah never 'ave thought in a million years," Applejack began, her eyes still wide in disbelief, "she's got four 'undred relatives. Now how do you suppose they keep in contact?"
"I doubt that's a our most pressing concern," Twilight said, hushing them. "I don't want to make this a long conversation, she's probably getting really nervous right about now."
Nervous didn't even come close to how Derpy was beginning to feel.
"But, Twilight," Rainbow Dash hissed, "there are four hundred of them. Four hundred Derpys."
"Hey, maybe if I help her set everything up, she'll let me meet them all," Pinkie Pie thought aloud. Images of at least a hundred wall-eyed little fillies and colts running around was almost enough to make her explode.
Of course you can come, Derpy thought with a brief smile.
"Imagine the damage that they could cause," Rarity put in with a worried expression on her face.
"That mare's clumsier than brick rollin' inside a barrel," Applejack said with a nod of agreement.
"Look what she did to townhall by herself," Rainbow Dash stated, lifting her hooves into the air dramatically. "Now imagine what four hundred of them could do."
A loud sob suddenly issued from the table and the six friends turned just in time to see Derpy leap over them and into the halls, speeding away at a dead run. The realization that she had heard everything they said suddenly settled on them, Pinkie and Fluttershy, thinking of themselves as the innocents of the group, looked at the other in shock.
"Mommy, wait, don't go," Dinky yelled, running through the group after her mother.
There was a long moment of silence before all eyes turned to look at the final member of the Doo family. Who now looked less like a pony and more like a seething monster as her blood boiled in rage. Before anypony could say anything or make a noise, all the dishes and food on the tables was flung against the far wall with a burst of Amethyst's magic as she screamed at the top of her lungs.
"HOW DARE YOU."
They all took a few steps back as the young mare pushed herself away from the table and approached them with anger filling her eyes.
"How dare you all. Do you know how long she's lived with that?"
"Amethyst," Pinkie began, reached hoof forward, hoping she could calm her down.
"Don't," Amethyst growled. "You may not have said anything against her, but you didn't defend her either... same for you Fluttershy."
Pinkie felt like crying herself as she back up and stood beside the quivering Fluttershy in defeat.
Amethyst turned towards the other four. "The rest of you though... Yes, she's clumsy, she can be absentminded and silly, but she does her best everyday. She was sick that day at townhall, but she still wanted to help, so she took some medicine and it made her loopy. She just wanted to help, but all of you just branded her as a menace. And what did she do? Destroy parts of townhall? Is that really as bad as you destroying your entire barn, Applejack? What's your excuse?"
Applejack folded her ears back and lowered her head to the ground.
"How... how... could you all be so blind to her? Ever since then she won't even go see a doctor, because she's afraid of hurting someone, all because ponies just won't shut up about that day. And her family just so happens to be just as sweet, just as friendly, and kind as she is. Why you would even... why you would... why," Amethyst said, struggling to find more words. But when no more came, she ran off after her family, leaving Twilight and her friends behind her.
Pinkie's mane deflated and she looked at the ground in shame. "I should have defended her."
"M-m-me t-too," Fluttershy barely managed to say.
"I didn't know they could hear us," Rarity said, placing a hoof over her mouth. "How could this happen?"
"I'm more of a menace, than her," Applejack said, tilting her hat over her eyes.
"No, what you did was an accident, Applejack," Rainbow stated.
"What she did were an accident," Applejack then shouted back, surprising everypony. "What I did was reckless, stubborn pride on a wild wagon of destruction. To top et all off, the rest of the reunion was used to rebuild it. Sure, we sang a good song and had some bondin' time, but I nitpicked most of it and almost ruined the whole thang."
"Really, when you think about it, it was only one incident," Rarity sighed. "Clumsiness is understandable from anypony, doubly so because of her eyes."
Rainbow Dash rubbed her shoulder with a frown. "Yyyeaah, and I've kind, sorta done a few more things than her as well."
"I think we all have," Twilight groaned, upset with herself. Except for you, fluttershy."
"W-well, there was th-that time at the Grand Galloping Gala, w-where I chased all those animals inside, a-and ruined the party," Fluttershy confessed in a hushed tone.
"I guess we're all guilty of something," Pinkie said with a deflated mane. "Now I probably won't get to see a bunch of little fillies and colts running around town. Awww, at least a hundred little Derpys running about, I won't be allowed to join the festivities."
"We'd better find them and apologize," Twilight said in exasperation. "This was just supposed to be a nice luncheon with friends, and... we may have lost a friend in stead."
They all began to follow Twilight in the direction Derpy took, but then they saw her and her daughters come around a corner towards them. Derpy head her head low, the area around her eyes wet from crying, while a confused Dinky wrote upon a very angry looking Amethyst. They all stopped in front of the six friends (Spike had been asked to go to the kitchens previous to this) and Derpy looked up with sorrowful eyes.
"I'm sorry to bother you with this, Princess, but... I forgot the way out, again," she sobbed, wiping at her eyes with a limp hoof.
"We don't want you to leave, Derpy," Twilight said, stepping up and placing a comforting hoof in Derpy's shoulder.
"W-what do you mean?" Derpy asked, now looking confused. "You were saying that my family was..."
Twilight silenced her with a hug. "We don't know your family, and we were... were... being stupid. We jumped to the conclusion that they would... And about townhall..."
"We really shouldn't have judged you because of that," Rarity said with a despairing sigh. "We didn't know you were sick at the time..."
"Amethyst explained everything to us," Rainbow Dash said, her head lowered in shame. "Even on that day I was being rude, and uncaring. I'm sorry Derpy."
"Yeah, and you said ya saw me destroy the family barn," Applejack spoke up. "That's much worse than what we were accusin' you of. Family is very important to me, an' I had no right to jump to conclusions about yours. Ah'm sorry as well."
"And I'm sorry for not defending you," Pinkie said with hope in her eyes, "I was too busy imagining all the new ponies that were going to be coming to town. My silence made you sad and cry. I don't like it when ponies are sad. I'm very sorry."
"And I-I'm sorry as well," Fluttershy squeaked out with a couple tears in her eyes.
"We're all sorry, Derpy," Twilight said as she let go of the mailmare and took a step back. "I suppose lunch is out of the question now. But perhaps we can do something else to salvage the day. Is there something you would like to do, or someplace you want to go?"
Derpy sniffed and wiped her eyes again with both hooves. "You mean that? You're not mad that my family is coming?"
"Not at all, darling," Rarity said with genuine empathy. "In fact, to make it up to you I'll make you a dress for your reunion on the house."
Derpy smiled. "That's very kind of you, Rarity, but I've already got a dress in mind."
Rarity laughed. "Oh, darling, come now, surely you want to dazzle them all with the latest fashion and..."
"They're traditional Doo family dresses worn for over six hundred years," Amethyst snapped at her, obviously still angry at them."
"We're still guests in somepony else's house, Amethyst" Derpy said softly, giving her a pleading gaze.
Amethyst sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry."
"I can make anything look modern," Rarity said, "bring all your outfits by and I'll make you shine."
"Okay," Derpy said managing to laugh. "And yes, there might be someplace and something I would like to do. Oh, but I couldn't bring Amethyst and Dinky, it's a little dangerous."
"They can stay and explore the castle," Twilight said with a nonchalant wave of a hoof. "Spike won't mind."
"Well, okay,"Derpy said with a happy grin. "Is it alright with you two?"
Amethyst thought about for a moment, while Dinky immediately nodded her head. "Okay. Fine, we'll stay, but just be careful."
"I'll be fine, Amethyst," Derpy said with a chuckle.
"I was talking to them," Amethyst said, indicating the other six.
They watched as Amethyst and Dinky disappeared around a corner to explore the castle, Derpy calling after them.
"Stay together, I don't want Dinky frightened if she gets lost."
"Yes mom, I'll watch like a hawk."
Twilight stepped up beside Derpy and smiled. "They seem like good girls. Now, where did you want to go?"
In about half an hour they were all standing at the entrance to the most dangerous hiking trail in their part of Equestria. Sheer cliffs, narrow paths, loose rocks that could potentially trap pegusi, and warning signs about potentially dangerous wildlife in the area. It was enough to make al but Pinkie and Rainbow Dash gasp in disbelief. Though Rarity fainted.
"WIDOW'S WALK?" the six elements of harmony shouted in unison.